Citrus Sauce

Lemon Sauce, Lime Sauce, Orange Sauce, Tangerine Sauce, Grapefruit SauceCitrus fruits add zestiness and perk up any fresh flavor. Plus a slice of citrus fruit looks deceitful as a garnish!

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Citrus Sauce

Planning

  • Prep Time:

    10 minutes

  • Bake/Cook Time:

    10 minutes

  • Chill/Set Time:

    30 minutes

  • Servings:

    12 servings or 3 cups

Preparation

  • Materials

    Saucepan
    Mixing Bowl
    Sieve
    Spatula
    Blender
    Plastic Wrap

  • Prep

    Zest the rinds and juice the fruit

  • Oven/Stove

  • Shopping List

    Lemons (or your choice of citrus fruit)
    Orange (makes for a smoother flavor regardless of the main citrus)
    Granulated Sugar
    Cornstarch

Ingredients & Steps

  • Ingredients

    Lemon Juice 1/2 cup (or your choice of fruit)
    Lemon Zest 1 tbsp (or your choice of fruit)
    Lemon Juice 1 tsp
    Granulated Sugar ¾ cup
    Cornstarch 1 tbsp

    Note: Mix in 1 tsp orange juice to enhance any citrus sauce. It mellows lemon and sweetens grapefruit. Add to lemon-lime for a marguerita flavor.

  • Steps

    STEP 1: Cook the juice, zest, sugar, in a saucepan over medium heat while stirring continuously. Continue as you gradually bring the mixture to a low boil, making sure all of the sugar is thoroughly dissolved (5-10 minutes).

    STEP 2: Reduce the heat to medium or medium low so the mixture simmers, bubbly just gently a little. Cook at a simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon (3-5 minutes)

    STEP 3: Remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a mixing bowl. 

    STEP 4: Mix the cornstarch and 1-2 tsp orange juice together, then mix it into the sauce. The sauce will thicken into a glossy syrup almost instantly. If for any reason your sauce doesn’t thicken, add more cornstarch.

    STEP 5: Cool the sauce to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

FLAVORING
The sauce will have the flavor of the citrus. Any citrus will be brightened with a little lemon and balanced and enhanced by a little orange.

COLORING
Add a little gel color to enhance the look to match the fruit if you like.

DECORATING
Citrus sauces are drizzled over hot or cold desserts, cakes, and ice creams. Garnish with a fruit slice and sprig of mint.

PAIRING
Citrus sauce if great over cake. Lemon sauce drizzled over lemon pound cake or brushed on between layers of a lemon chiffon cake. Top off with a drizzle of white icing and garnish with citrus slices. Do this with lemon, lime, orange. Think orange pound cake with orange sauce brushed on layers then frosted and orange sauce drizzled on top of the cake over the frosting. Yummm!This fruity dessert sauce is luscious drizzled over garnish and puff pastries. Serve over fruit ice cream or sherbet.

SERVING
Chill the sauce before using then drizzle over dessert. Garnish with fruit slices and mint leaves.

STORING
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

TIPS
You can add more or less sugar to taste.

TROUBLESHOOTING
If the citrus sauce is too thin, add more cornstarch. Just mix a little at a time in cold water or lemon juice (or cold fruit juice) and stir until the sauce thickens.

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